MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERT^K SIO,OOO FOR ONE HUNDRED WORDS. "The Million Dollar Mystery" story will run for ticenty-tu-o consecutive weeks in this paper. fly an arrin/jement with the Thanhouser Film company it has been trade possible not only to read the story in this paper but also to see it each week in the various moving picture theaters. For the solution of this mystery story SIO,OOO will be given by the Thanhouser corporation. COXDITIOXB GOVERN IX G THE COS TEST. The priie of SIO,OOO trill be won by the man, tcom-on, or child who writes the most acceptable solution of the mystery, from which the last two reels of motuin picture drama will be made and the last tiro chapters of the story written b-y Harold MacGrath. Solutions may be sent to the Than houser Film corporation at 5 South ll<j tash avenue. Cnicago, 111., or Thanhouser Film corporation, 7/ West Twenty-third street, Mew York City H. V., any time up to midnight, Jan. H, 1915. This allows teveral weeks after the last chapter has leen published. A board of three judges will determine which of the many solutions received is the most acceptable. The judges arc to be Harold MacGrath, Lloyd Lonergan, and Miss Mae Tittee. The judgment of this SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Stanley Unrgrravf, mllllonnlrr. after a mlraculoua escape from the dett of the gang of brilliant thlevea knonn an the Blaek Hundred* live* the life of a re dune for eighteen year*, flargreave ac cidentally meet* llralne, leader of the Blaek Hundred. Knowing: Bralne will try to get him. he eacapea from hi* own home by a balloon. Before escaping he writea a letter to the glrla' aehool where eighteen year* before he ray*terlou*ly left on the doorntep hi* baby daughter, Florenee Gray. That day Hargreave alno drawn $1,000,000 from the bank, bnt It I* reported that thl* droned Into the aea when the balloon he eacaped In wna punctured. Florenee arrive* froiq the glrla* school* Countess Olga, Bralne*s companion, vis it* her and claim* her an a relative. Two bogun detective* call, but their plot 111 foiled by Norton, a newapaper man. After falling In their flrat attempt, the Black Hundred trap Florence. They ank hi* for money, bnt ahe eacapea, again foiling them. Norton and the countess call on Flor enee the next day, once more safe at home. The visitor* having gone, Jonea ii move* a aectlon of flooring and from ■ cavity taken a box. Puraued by mera bera of the Black Hundred, he runhea to the water front and aucceeda In drop ping the box into the aea. Accompllcea of Bralne kidnap Florence and hurry her off to aea. She leap* over board and I* picked up In a dared con dition by fishermen. Bralne, dl*gnlsed a* her father, takes her back to nea with him. Florence act* Are t<o the boat and {Copyright: 1014: By Harold MacGrath.) CHAPTER XVII. SETTING TRAPS FOB NORTON. THE Black Hundred possessed three sep arate council chambers, always in prep aration. Hence, when the one in use was burned down, they transferred their conferences to tl.e second council cham ber appointed identically the same as the first. As inferred, the organization owned con siderable wealth, and they leased the build ings in which they had their council cham bers, leased them for a number of years, and refurnished them secretly with trap floors, doors, and panels, and all that apparatus so necessary to men who are sometimes com pelled to make a quick getaway. When the Atlantic City att mpt was turned into a fiasco by Norton's timely ar rival, Braine determined once more to rid himself of this meddling reporter. He knew too much, in the first place, and in the sec ond place Braine wanted to learn whether the reporter bore a charmed life or was just ordinarily lucky. He would attempt nothing delicate, requiring finesse. He would simply waylay Norton and make a commonplace end of him. > He would disappear, this reporter, .hat would be all; and when they found him he might or might not be recognizable. So Braine called a conference, and he and his fellow rogues went over a number of expediencies, nnd finally agreed that the best thing to do would be to send a man to the newspaper, ostensibly as a reporter looking for a situation. With this excuse he would be able to Lang around the city room for three or four days. The idea back of this was to waylay Norton on his way to some assignment which took him to the suburbs. All this was arranged down to the small est detail; and a man whom they were quite certain Norton had not yet seen was selected t<> play the part. H| had been a reporter once, more's the pity; so there was no doubt of his being able to handle his end of the game, happen he was given a situation. " I want Norton, I want him badly," de clared Braine, " and woe to you if you let booze play in between you and the object of this more." The man selected to act the reporter hung his head. Whisky had been the origin of his fall from honest living, and he was not so calloused as pot to feel the sting of re morse at times. Often he longed to leave New York, to start anew elsewhere; but this man Broine was like a terrier outside a rnt cage filled with rodents. None ever really •scaped. " More," went on Braine, " I want Norton brought to 49. It's a little off the beat, and we can handle him as we please. When we get rid of this newspaper ferret, there'll be another to eliminate. But he's a fox, and a fox must he set to trail him." "And who is that?" "Jones, Jones. Jones!" thundered Braine. "He s the live wire. But the reporter first. Jones depends n lot on him. Tnke away this pro,) and Jones will u<>t h. *•> sure vt himself. There's a tn»u outsidf all this clr* board wiH be absolute and final. "Nothing of a literary nature will be considered in the decision, nor given any preference in the selection of the winner of the SIO,OOO priie. The last tiro teels. which will give the most acceptable solution to the mys tery, tcill be presented in the theaters having this feature as soon as it is pos sible to produce the some. The story corre sponding to these motion pictures will ap pear in the newspapers coincidcntally, or as soon after the appearance of Jhe pic tures as practicable. IFit/i the last two teels will be shoicn the pictures of the win ner, his or her home, and other interesting features. It is understood that the news papers. so far as practicable, in printing the last two chapters of the story by Har• lid MacGrath, trill a 1 so show a picture of the successful contestant. Solutions to the mystery must not he tnore than 100 words long. Here are some ijuestions to be kept in mind in connection with the mystery as an aid to a solution: No. I—What becomes of the millionairet So.i —What becomes of the $1,000,000T A'o. 3—rt'/iom does Florence marry f No. .'/—What becomes of the Russian count ess f Nobody connected either directly or in circctly with "The Million Dollar Mys tery" trill be considered as a contestant. I* rescued by n ship on which Norton ha* been shanghaied. Concealed above the rendexvoua of the Black Hundred, a man learn* of the re covery of the bo*, from the aea by a sailor and of it* subsequent return to the bottom of the nea, and he quickly communicate* the fact to .lone*. A dupli cate box I* planted and Inter aecured by the band, but before It* content* arc ex amined the box my*terloualy disappear*. Finding himself checkmated at every turn, Bralne endeavor* to enmesh the Hargreave household In the law In or der to gain free acces* to the hoiiae. The timely dl*covery of the plot by Nor ton act* the police at the heel* of the pack and results In a raid on the gnng*n rendezvous which, however, prove* to be barren of renulta. Following a telephone message Jonea received from a myaterlou* person whom he addressed as sir,'* Florence Is again lured from her home and taken out to aea. Through Norton's daring and skill as an aviator she Is readied and returna to her home In time to confront an agent of the Black Hundred. Through treachery In the Hargreave household Florence Is delivered Into the hands of an unscrupulous doctor, who la .In the pay of the Black Hundred. From the faithful Suaan Norton lcarna that the doctor has declared that Florence la atrleken with smallpox and that he la preparing to aplrit her away. By acting quickly the reporter, with the aid of Suaan, aucceeda In extricating the young woman from the danger nfter an en* counter with memnera of the gang. cle, rind all these weeks of warfare have not served to bring him into tlie circle." " Hargreave is dead." said Vroon stolidly, " As dead as I am," snarled Braine. " Two men went away in that balloon; and I'll wager my head that one man came back. I am beginning to put a few things together that I have not thought of before. Who knows? That balloon may have been car ried out to sea purposely. The captain on that tramp steamer may have lied from be NORTON SAVES HIS OWPt LIFE. BY THE USE OF HIS-WATCH CASE. ginning to end. I tell you, Hargreave is alive, and wherever he is he has his hand oa all the wires. He has agents, too, of whom we know nothing about. Ilang the million! I want to put my hands on Hargreave just to prove that lam the better man. He com municates with Jones, perhaps through the reporter; he has had me followed; it wajs he who changed the boxes, bored the hole in the ceiling of the other quarters, and learned Heaven knows what." "If that's the case," said Vroon, hasn't he had us apprehended?" Rraine laughed heartily. " Haven't you been able to see by this time his came is? Revenue. He does not want tl.e police to meddle only in th» smaller affairs. He •wants to do auny with us one by one; he wnuta t.i put terror into the hearts of all of us liwp tl>is point in vour miud vhen you S < - i' ' . V .Ck THE TELEGRAPH, HARRIS BURG, PA..' OCTOBER ' 1914'. act. llo'll never summon th* police unless we make « broad daylight attempt to get possession of his daughter. And even then he would make it out a plain case of kid naping. Elimination, that's the word. All right. We'll play at that game ourselves. No. 1 shall be Mr. Norton. And if you fail I'll break you," Braine addivl to the ex-re porter. " I'll get him," said the mnn sullenly. Later, when he applied for a situation on the Blade, it happened that there were two strikes on hand, and two or three extra men were needed on the city staff. The man from the Black Hundred was given a temporary job and went by the name of Gregg. As his first copy showed experience, he was promised a permanent place as soon as there was a vacancy. Gregg smiled inwardly. It would be a fine thing to do away with Nor ton and step into his reportorial shoes. For three days he worked faithfully, ab staining from his favorite tipple. He had never worked in New York, so bis record was unknown. He had told the city editor tL'at he had worked on a Chicago paper, now de funct. He paid no attention whatsoever to Nor ton. a sign of no little acumen. On th«s other hand Norton never went forth on an assignment that Gregg did not know exactly where lie was going. But all these stories kept Norton in town; and it would be al together too risky to attempt to handle him anywhere but outside of town. So Gregg had to abide his time. It came soon enough. Norton was idling at his desk when the city editor called him up to the wicket. "Gen. Henderson lias' just returned to America. Get his opinion on the latest Bal kan rumpus. He's out at his suburban home. Here's the address." "How long will you hold open for me?" asked Norton, meaning how long would the * city editor wait for the story. "Till one-thirty. You ought to be back by. midnight. It's only 8 now." "All right; Henderson's approachable. I may get a good story out of him." " Mayhp." thought Gregg, who had lost nothing of this conversation. It was his opportunity. He immediately left the zone of the city desk for a telephone booth. But as he passed the line of desks and busy reporters he did not note t"he keen scrutiny of a smooth faced, gray haired mau who stood at the side of Norton's desk await ing the reporter's return. " Why, Jones," cried the surprised Nor ton. " Whnt are you doing all this way from home? " " Orders," said Jones, smiling faintly as he delivered a note to the reporter. "Anything serious?" " Not that I am aware of. Miss Florence was rather particular. She wanted to be sure that the note reached your hands safely." "And do you mean to say that you cam.* away and left her alone in that house?" Again Jones smiled. "I left her well guarded, you may be sure of that. She will never run away again." He waited for Nor ton to read the note. It was nothing more than one of those love oraers to come and call at onee. And she bad made Jones venture into town with it! The reporter smiled and put the note away tenderly. And then he caught Jones smiling, too. " I'm going to marry her» Jones." " That remains to be seen," replied tL'e butler, not unkindly. " Well, anyhow, thanks for bringing the note. But I've got to disappoint her to night. I'm off in a deuce of a hurry to in terview Gen. Henderson. I'll be out to tea tomorrow. You can find your way out of this old fire trap. By-by!" The moment he turned away the smile faded from Jones' face, and with the quick ness and noisele«sness of r cat he reached the side of the bootl.' in which Gregg believed himself to be secure from eavesdropping. The half dozen words Jones heard convinced him that Norton was again the object of ths Black Hundred's attention. He had seen the man's face that memorable night when the balloon stopped for its passenger. Before Gregg came out of the booth' Jones decided to overtake him and forewarn him, but un fortunately the reporter was nowheje in sight. There was left for Jones nothing else but to return home or follow Gregg when he came out. As this night he knew Florence to be exceptionally well guarded, both within and without the house, he decided to wait and follow the spy. When Braine received the message he was pleased. Norton's assignment fitted his pur pose like a glove. Before midnight he would have Mr. Meddling Reporter where he would bother no one for some time —if he proved tractable. If not, he would never bother any one again. Braine gave his orders tersely. JONES. AFTER DISPOSING OF BRAINE, HELPS MORTON,. UP FROM THE'PUNISHMENT ROOM" Unless Norton met with unforeseen delay, nothing could prevent his capture. When Norton arrived at the Henderson place, a footman informed him from the veranda that Gen. Henderson was at 49 Elm street for the evening, and it would be wise to call there. Jim nodded his thanks and set off in haste for 49 Elm street. The foot man did not enter the house, but hurried down the steps and slunk off among the ad jacent shrubbery. His mission was over with. The house in Elm street was Brnine's sub urban establishment. He went there occa sionally to hibernate, as it were, to grow a new skin when close pressed. The caretaker was a man rightly called Samson. He was e bruiser of the bouncer type. It was fast work for Braine to get out there. If the aian disguised as a footman played his cards badly, Braine would have all his trouble for nothing Ho disguised him self with that infernal cleverness which had long since made him a terror to the police, who were looking for ten different men in stead of one. He knew that Norton would understand instantly that he was not the gen eral ; but on the other hand, he would not know that he was addressing Braine. So the arch conspirator waited; and so Norton arrived and was ushered into tLe room. A single glance was enough to satisfy the reporter, always keen eyed and observant. " I wish to see Gen. Henderson," he said politely. " Gen. Henderson is doubtless at his own house." " Ah! " " Don't be alarmed —yet," said Braine smoothly. " I am not alarmed," replied Norton. " I am only chagrined. Since Gen. Henderson is not to be found here, I must be excused." " I will excuse- you, presently." "Ah ! I begin to see." " Indeed ! " mocked Braine. " I have tumbled or walked into a trap."* " A kepn mind like yours must have recog nized that fact the moment you discovered I was not the general." "I am indebted to the Black Hundred?" coolly. " Precisely. We do not wish you ill, Mr. Norton." "To be sure, no! " Ironically. " What with falling safes, poisoned cigarets. and so forth, I can readily see that you have my welfare at heart. What puzzled me was the suddenness with which these affection ate signs ceased." "You're a man of heart." said Braine with genuine admiration. " These affectionate signs, as you call them, ceased because for the time being you ceased to be a menace. Vou have become that once more, and here you are!" " And what are yon going to do with me Bow that you have got me?" " There will be two courses." Brain reached into a drawer and drew out a tLick roll of bills. "There are here something like $5,000." " Quite a tidy sum; enough {or a chap to get married an." The two men eyed each other steadily. And in his heart Braine sighed. For he saw in this young man's eyes incorruptibility. " It is yours on one condition," said Braine, reaching out his foot stealthily toward th« button which would summon Samson. " And that is," interpolated Norton, " that I join the Black Hundred." "Or the great beyond, my lad," took up Braine, his voice crisp and cold. Norton could not repress a shiver. Wher-i had he heard this voice before . . , Braine! He stiffened. "Murder in cold blood?" he managed to " Indefinite' imprisonment. Choose." " I have chosen." " H'm! " Braine rose and went over to the sideboard for the brandy. " I'm going to offer you a drink to show you that per- sonally there are no hard feelings. You are in the way. After you, our friend, Jones. This brandy is not poisoned, neither are the glasses. Choose either and I'll drink first. We are all desperate men, Norton; and we stop at nothing. Your life hangs by a Lair. Do you know where Hargreave is? " Norton eyed his liquor thoughtfully. "Do you know where the money is?" Norton smelt of the brandy. " I am sorry," said Braine. " I should have liked to win over a head like yours." Norton nonchalantly took out his watch, and that bit of bravado perhaps saved his life. In the case of his watch he saw a brutal face behind him. Without a tremor, Norton took up his glass. " I am sorry to disappoint you," he said; " but I shall neither join you nor go to by by." Quick as a bird-shadow above grass, hs flung the brandy over his shoulder into the face of the man behind. Sampson yelled with pain. Almost at the same instant Norton pushed over the table, upsetting Braine with it. Next he dashed through the curtains, slammed the door, and fled to the street, very shaky about the knees, if the truth is to be told. e Gen. Henderson's views upon the latest Balkan muddle were missing from the Blade the following morning. Norton, instead of returning to the general's and fulfilling his assignment like a dutiful reporter, hurried out to Riverdale to acquaint Jones with what had happened. Jones was glad to see him safe and sound. "That new reporter started the game," he said. " I overheard a word or tw*p while he was talking in the booth. All your telephone booths are ramshackle affairs, you use them so constantly. I tried to find you, but you were out of sight. Now, tell me what hap pened." " Sh ! " warned Norton as he spied Florence coming down the stairs. " I thought you couldn't come!" sh? cried. " But 10 o'clock! " " I changed my mind," he replied, laughing. He caught her arm iu his and drew her toward the library. Jones smiled after them with that enigmatical smile of his, which might have signified irony or affection. After half an hour's chat, Florence, quite aware that the two men wished to talk, retired. At the door Norton told Jones what had taken place at 49 Elm street. " Ah! we must not forget that number," mused Jonts. "My advice is, keep an eye on this Gregg chap. We may get somewhere by watching him." "Do you know where Hargreave is?" Jones scratched his chin reflectively. Norton laughed. " I can't get anything out of you." " Much less any one else. I'm growing fond of you, my boy. You're a man." "Thanks; and good-night." When Olga Perigoff called the next day Jones divested himself of his livery, donned a plain coat and hat, and left the house stealth ily. Today he was determined to learn some t.'4ng definite in regard to this suave, band- some Russian. When she left the house .Tones rose from his hiding place and proceeded to follow her. The result of this espionage ou n the part of Jones will he wen presently. Meantime Jim went down to the office and lied cheerfully about his missing the general. Whether the city editor believed him or not is of no matter. Jim went over to his desk. From the corner of his eye he could see Gregg scribbling away. He never raised his head as Jim sat down to read his mail. After awhile Gregg rose and left the office; and, of course, Jim left shortly afterward. When the new comer saw that he was being followed, he smiled and continued on his way. This Xor ton chap was suspicious. All the better; his suspicions should bp made the hook to land him with. By and by the man turned into a drug store and Jim loitered ahojlt till he re appeared. Gregg walked with brisker steps now. It was his intention to lead Norton oa a wild goose chase for an hour or so, lons enough to give Rraine time to arrange • wel come at another house. Norton kept perhaps half a Mock in th* roar of his man all the while. But for this caution he would have witnessed a little pan tomime that would have put him wholly upon his guard. Turning a corner, Gregg nil but bumped into the countess. He was quick enough to place a finger on his lips and motion his head toward a taxicab. Olga hadn't the least idea who was coming around the corner, but she hailed the cnb and was off in it before Jim swung around the corner. Jones, who had followed the countess for something over an hour and a half, hugged a doorway. What now? he wondered. The countess knew the man. That was evidence enough for the astute butler. But what meant the pantomime and the subsequent hurry? He soon learned. The man Gregg went his way, and hen Jim turned the cor ner. Jones cast a wistful glance at the van ishing cab of the Russian, and decided to shadow the shndower —-in other words, follow the reporter, to see that nothing serious be fell him. Sometimes Norton was overeager: several times during his tilts with the Black Hundred he had gone outside the boundary of caution —■ and paid for it. Ho did this very thing today, and but for Jones he might have fared ex tremely ill. Braine swore that this time Norton should suffer. He would wring the truth out of the reporter, the truth as far as he knew it. Braine was positive that Norton knew one or the other of two things: Ilargreave's where abouts and whether or not the mysterious box contained the million. » The lurer finally paused at a door, opened' it with a key, and swung it behind him, very careful, however/ not to spring the latch. Naturally Jim was mightily pleased when l-o found the door could be opened. When Jones, not far behind, saw him open the vloor, he (started to call out a warning, but thought the of It. If Norton was walking into a trap it was far better that he, Jones, should remain outside of it. If Jim did not appear after n certain length' of time, he would start an investigation on his own accent. No sooner was Jim in the hallway than he was set upon and overpowered. They had ia this house what was known as "the punish ment room." Here traitors paid the reckon ing and were never more heard of. Into this room Jim was unceremoniously dropped when Braine found that he could get no informa tion from the resolute reporter. The room did not look sinister, but for all that it possessed the faculty of growing smaller and smaller, slowly or swiftly, as the man above at the lever willed. When Jim was apprised of this fact, he ran madly about in search of some mode of escape, knowing full well in Lis heart that he should not find one. Presently tlje machinery began to work, and Norton's tongue grew dry with terror. ' They had him this time; there was not the least doubt of it. And they had led him there by the nose into tie bargain. , Twenty minutes passed, and Jones con cluded it was time for him to act He went forward to try the door, but this time it was locked. Jones, however, was not without re source. The house next door was vacant, and he found a way into this, finally reaching the roof. From this he jumped to the other roof, found the scuttle open, and crept down the stairs, flight after flight, till the whir of * motor arrested him. Conspirators are often overeager, too. So intent were the rascals upon the business at hand that they did not notice the door open slowly. It did not take the butler more than a moment to realize that his friend and ally was near certain death. With an oath he sprang into the room, gave Braine a push which sent him down to join the victim, and pitched into the other two. It was a battle royal while it lasted. Jones knocked down one of them, yelled to Norton, and kicked the rope he saw down into the pit. One end of this rope was attached to a ring in the wall. And up this rope Norton swarmed after he had disposed of Braine. The tide of battle then swung about in favor of the butler, and shortly the fake reporter and his companion were made to join their chief. Jones stopped the machinery. He could not bring himself tj let his enemies die so hor ribly. Later he knew he would regret this sentiment. When the police came, summoned by somt outsider who had heard the racket of the con flict, there was no one to be found in the pit. Nor was there any visible sign of an exit. There was one. however, built against such an hour and known only to the chiefs of the Black Hundred. • And still the golden tinted bank notes re posed tranquilly in their hiding placet (TO BE CONTINUm* - '
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